WARIF Marks 7th No Tolerance March, Amplifies Fight against GBV
More than 8,000 participants across three continents joined the 7th Global WARIF No Tolerance March on Saturday, December 6, 2025, in continued advocacy for an end to gender-based violence (GBV).
The annual march, organised by Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF), formed part of the United Nations 16 Days of Activism campaign, with this year’s theme centred on “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls.”
Demonstrations were held simultaneously in 13 cities across Africa, Europe and North America, including Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Accra, Nairobi, London, Paris, Frankfurt, New York, Atlanta, Houston and Washington DC.
The walk gathered activists, civil society groups, families, organisations and survivors, reinforcing a united global stance against violence targeted at women and girls.
Founder of WARIF, Dr. Kemi DaSilva Ibru, described the march as a growing movement influencing young people and strengthening survivor support systems.
“The march has empowered individuals and communities, especially young people, to speak up. Survivors are finding courage in seeing others rally for them.
Communities have started conversations once avoided, and organisations across the world are now collaborating and sharing resources,” she said.
According to her, the foundation, proceeds from the march will support critical post-incident care, including forensic medical services, psychosocial counselling and welfare assistance for survivors of rape and sexual violence.
Speaking on the impact of WARIF’s programmes, Dr Ibru said the foundation’s interventions in crisis centres, schools, universities and communities have recorded measurable success. She added that the organisation will scale up these initiatives in 2026 to reach more communities across Nigeria.
“Our programmes are evidence-based, and the goal is to scale up in new territories. With over 220 million people in the country and statistics showing that one in four girls may face sexual or physical violence before 18, we must continue to stand in the gap,” she stressed.
She noted that challenges persist due to harmful practices and social norms rooted in patriarchy but emphasised that sustained community engagement with traditional and religious leaders remains key to change.
